Paradox Rift: Top 5 Chase Cards
Paradox Rift features ancient and future Paradox Pokemon alongside a massive secret rare count. Here are the five most valuable chase cards from the November 2023 set.
Paradox Rift: Top 5 Chase Cards
Released in November 2023, Paradox Rift explores one of the most interesting concepts in recent Pokemon games — the discovery of ancient and futuristic Paradox Pokemon in Area Zero. The set features both "Ancient" forms (prehistoric versions of familiar Pokemon) and "Future" forms (robotic future variants), creating a visual contrast between raw organic design and sleek mechanical aesthetics.
With 84 secret rares — one of the largest counts in the SV era — value is more spread out across Paradox Rift than most sets. Here are the five cards collectors are targeting most.
1. Groudon — Illustration Rare (~$83)
The top card in Paradox Rift isn't a Special Illustration Rare — it's an Illustration Rare, and it earns its spot through sheer visual impact. The Groudon IR depicts the Hoenn titan in a dramatic volcanic landscape with lava flows and erupting vents surrounding the legendary ground-type. Legendary Pokemon in full-scene Illustration Rares consistently outperform expectations, and Groudon's inherently massive, imposing design translates perfectly to the format.
2. Roaring Moon ex — Special Illustration Rare (~$45)
Roaring Moon is the Ancient Paradox form of Salamence — a prehistoric, rage-fuelled version of the beloved Hoenn pseudo-legendary. Its SIR card leans hard into the violent, primal aesthetic of the Ancient Pokemon concept. Roaring Moon was also a tournament-relevant card during 2024, which provided sustained competitive demand alongside collector interest.
3. Altaria ex — Special Illustration Rare (~$44)
In contrast to Roaring Moon's intensity, the Altaria ex SIR opts for soft pastel skies and gentle cloud-floating imagery that suits the Cloud Pokemon perfectly. Altaria is a beloved Gen 3 Pokemon with a strong collector following, and the SIR treatment here is among the most beautiful in the set. It's the kind of card that appeals broadly beyond just competitive players.
4. Garchomp ex — Special Illustration Rare (~$31)
Garchomp is a fan-favourite pseudo-legendary from Sinnoh with a dedicated following across both the games and the TCG. Its SIR from Paradox Rift features a swirling water and crystal-effect composition that leans into the Paradox theme while keeping Garchomp front and centre. Strong collector demand for pseudo-legendary Pokemon keeps this card consistently valued.
5. Gholdengo ex — Special Illustration Rare (~$30)
Gholdengo is one of the more divisive new Gen 9 Pokemon — a ghost made of gold coins with an almost absurdist visual design. But its Paradox Rift SIR commits to the bit fully, with an explosion of golden coins and a striking metallic colour palette. Gholdengo was also a dominant Pokemon in the video games, which drove crossover interest from competitive TCG players.
The Paradox Rift Pull Experience
With 84 secret rares spread across the set, pulling something valuable from Paradox Rift is more likely than in many other SV releases — but the ceiling is also lower than powerhouse sets like Paldean Fates or Prismatic Evolutions. The value is distributed more evenly, which makes it a rewarding set to collect but a less dramatic one to pull from.
Iron Valiant ex SIR (~$21) just misses the top 5, and both Walking Wake ex and Gouging Fire ex SIRs are worth noting as consistent performers. Ancient and Future Pokemon fans have a lot to enjoy here.
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